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4. Peyton Manning vs. Rivers. Rivers once had a heated division rivalry with Cutler, when the latter was the Broncos’ starting quarterback. Rivers didn’t like Cutler, so it will be refreshing that his battle with Manning will be one of mutual respect. When Manning and Rivers aren’t sounding like the Southern gentlemen they are, their relentless desire should make for a wild, wild West showdown.

Rivers will no longer have his top wide receiver Vincent Jackson, and Manning needs to get used to throwing to unfamiliar young targets such as Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. That should make Manning and Rivers’ upcoming matchups more unpredictable than Chargers vs. Colts, but you can bet both games will be decided by who’s the better quarterback in the fourth quarter.

“I chose the Broncos to get out of my comfort zone. I wanted to take a risk,” he explained about selecting Denver over five-year employer Houston Texans. “I want to take my game to another level…”

“...It’s not about stats, though. It’s about being out there more plays and making a bigger impact,” he proclaimed. “If it’s special teams or blocking my tail off for a big-time rusher, that’s what I want to do.”

Expect big things from Dreessen this year on the stretch play. And then notice how surprised you are when he ends up with 10--12 touchdowns off of play fakes at the end of the season.

How do I tell my grandchildren that I am no longer a Denver Bronco fan? They are five years old and have a “jump up and down on the couch” excitement for Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. I helped make them that way. I was that loyal fan for 30 years through thick and through thin.

Now, my trust and belief in the organization is gone. It’s become apparent that the “head office” wanted to throw Tebow under the bus when they got the chance. Never mind that he rallied the Broncos to inspiring wins that revived the Bronco nation. The Pittsburgh overtime playoff (11 seconds — count them) is one of the best moments in NFL history. And Peyton Manning — he never would have signed with a losing Denver team.

So leaving the Broncos is an easy move for me. What’s not easy is trying to explain to my grandkids that football is not just a game. It’s much more. Elvis has left the building.

Sonja Black
Powell, Wyo.

Poor Sonja. I'm not sure if I feel more sorry for her or for her grandchildren, since they probably need some ritalin for that jumping-up-and-down-on-the-couch issue.

I've heard different versions of this country song, but they always sing the same chorus: I've been such a loyal subject through the toughest of times, but now, I can't take it any more and I'm going home!

Give me a freakin' break, Sonja Black. The Denver Broncos are bigger than you. They're bigger than me. They're bigger than the whole of Wyoming, Colorado, and the Rocky Mountains for that matter. And yes, they are bigger than Tim Tebow (they might not be bigger than John Elway, though, after that sweet-ass Peyton Manning trade, you know what I'm sayin'?). The good news is with the NFL SUNDAY TICKET™, you can watch your precious each and every week in New York City.

Now, get the hell out of Dodge.

One final question. Is Sonja comparing herself to Elvis or is she saying that Tim Tebow is Elvis? Either way, we're going to need to bring in some fried peanut-butter and banana sandwiches pronto. Oh, and bring a shotgun. There's some TVs that need shot up--in Powell, Wyoming.

Dolphins coach Joe Philbin and general manager Jeff Ireland joined the Browns and 21 teams to watch Tannehill perform. Mayock believes Tannehill will not escape the top 10.

“If he doesn’t go at four,” Mayock said, “Miami has to take him at eight, and don’t be surprised if somebody trades up to three, where Minnesota is, or seven, where Jacksonville is, to get a chance at this kid.”

“He could play a game. We’ve done it, we’ve simulated games, and he’s done well. He’s going to do nothing but get stronger and going to play up to his standards,” Cutcliffe said Thursday in a phone interview with The Denver Post. “I know that’s his goal, and there isn’t any reason, there is no indicator otherwise…”

“...He can make all the throws, his release times are perfect, and we pay a lot of attention to that. It’s arm speed and getting rid of it. His velocity is good. It’s just a matter of, like any other NFL football player, you’ve got to feel good,” Cutcliffe said. “He’s in great shape. Not good shape, great shape, and that’s part of what we did here as well.”

Add Cutcliffe to the list of people who think Manning is ready to lace them up this second. That list also includes Manning himself.

“I’ve pretty much been sleeping over here at the complex the past week and an half trying to study this playbook and trying to get on the same page as these receivers…I haven’t left here since I signed last Tuesday. I plan on being here all off season.”

Peyton Manning didn't tell us too much in the way of news in this interview, but it's still a good listen if you get the chance. Among other things, Manning said:

Todd Helton also reached out to Manning during his decision process.

Manning is going to attend a lot of Rockies games during the summer.

Manning doubts that he will ever have a Twitter account.

His goal is the Super Bowl: that's why he is in Denver.

He was glad he wasn't a free agent for very long and doesn't plan to be one again.

Manning moved his rehab to Denver’s facility immediately after signing, and has done all he can—which is very limited at this point, due to the new offseason rules—to get ready for the 2012 season, his first in the NFL in colors other than the Colts’ blue and white.

“It’s great to have him there, and obviously he’s full of knowledge,” Broncos executive vice president John Elway told NFL Network. “But he’s still going through his rehab process and working hard. With the new rules, we can only do so much, but he’s working hard on rehabbing his arm. And he’s been working out, throwing with the guys, and that’s the kind of guy he is. He’s got our playbook, so he’s had his head in the playbook trying to learn, and kind of combine what he’s used and what we do.”

Just in case you didn't know, Manning is also sleeping at the Broncos' facility. It's safe to assume he's living and breathing Broncos football during his waking hours. During those hours in which he is trying to get some sleep, he's probably not counting sheep, but instead the number of Raiders it would take to screw in a light bulb.

As we've written before--some guys in the NFL work hard. Then there's Peyton Manning.

“When I think back to when the Broncos got John Elway, I don’t think anybody looks back and says, ‘Did we overpay?’ ” Shanahan said.

Of [Robert Griffin, Shanahan said: “This guy is bright. This guy is passionate. He’s got everything you look for.” He said Griffin had researched the Redskins’ roster and could recite to Shanahan the roster of his Super Bowl-winning teams in Denver.

How many Broncos fans can recite the names of the entire Broncos roster from 1998-1999?